Stamp pad



y 1942- Y w. K. MUNSON 2,290,488

STAMP PAD Filed March 2,; 1940 r ATTo zEY Patented Jul 21, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAMP PAD Whitney K. Munson, East Orange, N. J. Application March 2, 1940, Serial No. 321,921

8 Claims.

This invention relates to what are commonly termed stamp pads used for the purpose of inking rubber and other stamps; and the object of the invention is to provide a pad of the character described having a pad element readily movable V with respect to an inking base to be swung into raised position to facilitate reinking of the base, and. still further wherein the pad element may be quickly and easily attached and detached with respect to the base for the purpose of reversing said element and for replacing the same. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a means for accomplishing the swinging movement and detachable mounting of a pad element in such manner as to eliminate the necessity of soiling the hands in performing the desired operation, and further in accomplishing the desired operation in a quick and simple manner; and with these and other'obl'ects in View, the invention consists in a stamp pad structure of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, efficient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views; and in Which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the pad in open position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the front end portion of the pad indicating the manner of detaching the pad element from the base; and,

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

This application constitutes an improvement over the subject matter referred to in my prior Patent #1011598, of October 15, 1935, and deals primarily with the manner of mounting the pad element in connection with the base so as to provide quick and simple attachment and detachment of the pad el ment therewith as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the construction cf stamp pads employing r movable pad elements, considerable difficulty has been experienced in educating or training the user to remove the pad element. In many instances, this operation has been so difficult as to it substantially impossible to perform desired function. In other instances, the desired operation could not be performed without soiling the hands in the handling of an old inked pad element. When viewing a complete stamp pad having a removable pad element therein, it is a natural tendency for the average individual to insert a pencil or other implement beneath the forward edge of th'e'pad element to flex the element outwardly; and it is the purpose of my invention topr-ovide a structure which will accommodate this natural tendency or method of procedure to provide a quick and easy removal of the pad element from the base.

In the present construction I have shown a base l0 having an upwardly extending flange ll inwardly of the peripheral edges thereof and protruding upwardly from the upper surface Illa of said base to provide a large pad receiving reservoir I2. This reservoir is provided with one or more recesses l3 for the reception of absorbent pads or wicks It.

A suitable cover I5 is provided to closely engage peripheral edges of the flange l l in forming a closure for the reservoir l2. Any type of cover may be employed, but for purposes of illustration, I have indicated a cover similar to that shown in my prior Patent #2,01'7,508. The cover I5 is hinged to a projecting member [6 of the base I 0 as seen at I! and is normally urged into open position by a spring I8. A catch device 19 is arranged at the front of the base lil to support the cover IS in the closed position against the tension of the spring l3.

Arranged within the reservoir i2 is a stamp pad 20 comprising a substantially rectangular frame 2!, a fabric covering 22, and an insert or filler 23 of absorbent material. It will be noted at this time that the pad 29 is symmetrical in contour and covered on both surfaces with the fabric 22 thereby providing for the reversal of the pad. Two opposed sides of the frame include end portions 24 protruding slightly beyond the frame proper. These protruding ends are adapted to engage recesses 25 formed in inner,surfaces of the flange I I, thereby retaining the pad 20 within the reservoir l2 and in contact with the wick members [4.

The flange l l is formed from resilient yieldable material, such for example as rubber, and may be freely flexed to provide insertion and removal of the protruding ends 24. To facilitate this insertion and removal, a slit 26 is formed in the upper portion of the flange in alinement with each of the recesses or sockets 25. Each of the slits 26 extends substantially to the depth of the recess 25, as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, thereby providing relatively thin flexible members 21 defining the upper wall of said recess. The members 21, however, are sufficiently rigid to normally remain in alinement thereby producing the effect of continuity in the upper surface of the flange I I.

In the use of the stamp pad it becomes necessary from time to time to add ink to the wick members M or to reverse or replace the pad 20. In such instances the pad may be removed by merely inserting a pointed object 28, such for example as a pencil, between the flange II and the pad 20, adjacent one of the recesses 25. A slight prying action with the member 28 readily forces the end 24 of the pad frame upwardly through the slit 26. This operation is repeated adjacent the opposed end portion of the frame thereby freeing one edge of the pad 20 and permitting swinging movement of the pad into the position shown in Fig. 1. It is preferably provided that the pad swing slightly more than 90 in order that it may remain unsupported in the open or raised position. If it is desired to remove the pad completely from the base, the previous operation is repeated adjacent one of the other corners and freeing the pad at that corner will permit complete removal of the pad as will be apparent.

To secure the pad to. the base it is merely necessary to arrange the protruding ends 24 of the pad frame in approximate alinement with the slit 26, and apply slight downward pressure to the pad adjacent each of these ends. It will be apparent that this operation may be performed with any small blunt implement, such for example as a pencil, thereby making it unnecessary to handle the pad. The base ID has been indicated in the drawing as comprising a unitary body of resilient material, such for example as rubber or a rubber compound, including the flange II as an integral part thereof. This is a desirable feature since the entire base may thus be formed in a single molding process and furthermore the rubber surface of the base serves to effectively prevent slipping of the pad on a desk or other supporting surface. It will be ap- Cal parent however, that the material used in the base as well as the particular shape and contour of the base may be varied in other uses and adaptations of the invention.

The invention has been described essentially in connection with stamping or inking pads employing a refill stamping surface; and in the particular adaptation shown in the drawing, the flange construction of the base is advantageous. It will be apparent, however, that it i the insert receiving recess of the base, no matter how formed, which constitutes an important feature of the invention. The construction is adaptable to any base member having a recessed surface where it is desirable to pivotally, removably, and/or reversibly secure an insert within the recess. In other words, the sockets for receiving the protruding portions of the insert may be arranged in any desired positions. Likewise the yieldable members forming the outer wall of each socket and adapted for inward and outward fiex- 1 ure in the insertion and removal of projecting ends of the insert may be formed from any suitable material and fashioned to meet a particular need. In the adaptation shown in the drawing, for example, the yieldable members in the normal position are arranged in alinement and in closely abutting relationship forming what might be termed ink seals. In other adaptations of the invention, however, this abutting relationship of the yieldable members may be unnecessary or even objectionable.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A stamp pad of the character described comprising a base having a peripheral resilient flange forming a pad-receiving reservoir, a pad arranged in said reservoir, said pad including a frame having protruding portions at each end of two opposed sides thereof, said protruding portions engaging recesses formed in said flange, means providing selective insertion and removal of said end portions with respect to said recesses, said last named means comprising a slit formed in said resilient flange in alinement with each of said recesse and extending substantially to the depth of said recesses.

2. In combination a stamp pad base formed from resilient material and having an integral peripheral flange at the upper surface thereof and a stamp pad interfitting with said base within the limits of the flanged portion thereof, said stamp pad comprising a rectangular frame, an absorbent filler and a fabric cover, enveloping said frame and filler to form two stamping surfaces, said frame having protruding members at the corners thereof and extending in the direction of opposed ends of the frame, the flange of said base having laterally extending recesses cooperating with said protruding members to retain the pad in connection therewith, and the arrangement of said protruding members and recesses providing for swinging movement of the pad into raised position upon disengagement of the protruding members at opposed ends of one side of the pad.

3. In combination a stamp pad base formed from resilient material and having an integral peripheral flange at the upper surface thereof and a stamp pad interfitting with said base within the limits of the flanged portion thereof, said stamp pad comprising a rectangular frame, an absorbent filler and a fabric cover enveloping said frame and filler to form two stamping surfaces, said frame having protruding members at the corner thereof and extending in the direction of opposed ends of the frame, the flange of said base having laterally extending recesses cooperating with said protruding members to retain the pad in connection therewith, and the upper surface of said flange having a slit in alinement with and extending into each recess to substantially the depth of said recess thereby providing weakened wall portions adapted to be freely flexed in the insertion and removal of the corresponding protruding member of the pad.

4. In a base having a recess in one surface thereof adapted to receive an insert, said insert including mounting members protruding from the periphery thereof, means involving sockets in the walls of said recess and registerin with the mounting members of said insert for securing the insert to said base, and the outer walls of said sockets each being formed by two yieldable members capable of inward and outward flexure in inserting and removing the mounting members of the insert.

5. In a base having a recess in one surface thereof adapted to receive an insert, said base including mounting members protruding from the periphery thereof, means involving sockets in the walls of said recess and registering with the mounting members of said insert for securing the insert to said base, the outer walls of said sockets each being formed by two yieldable members capable of inward and outward flexure in inserting and removing the mounting members of the insert, and at least two of said sockets being arranged in opposite walls of said recess adjacent a common third wall thereof.

6. In a stamp pad base having a recess in one surface thereof adapted to receive a refill stamping surface having mounting members protruding from the periphery thereof, means involving sockets in the walls of said recess and registering with said mounting members for securing the refill stamping surface to said base, the outer walls of said sockets each being formed by two yieldable members capable of inward and outward fiexure in inserting and removing the mounting members of the refill stamping surface, and said yieldable members being normally arranged in abutting and alined relationship thereby forming a continuous outer wall bounding each of said sockets.

7. In a, stamp pad base having a recess in one surface thereof adapted to receive a refill stamping surface, having mounting members protruding from the periphery thereof, means involving sockets in the walls of said recess and registering with said mounting members for securing the 3 refill stamping surface to said base, the outer walls of said sockets each being formed by two yieldable members capable of inward and outward flexure in inserting and removing the mounting members of the refill stamping surface, and at least two of said sockets being arranged at points in the walls of said recess to provide pivotal movement of the refill stamping surface while engaged by said sockets.

8. In a stamp pad base having a recess in one surface thereof adapted to receive a refill stamping surface having mounting members protruding from the periphery thereof, means involving sockets in the walls of said recess and registering with said mounting members for securing the refill stamping surface to said base, the outer walls of said sockets each bein formed by two yieldable members capable of inward and outward fiexure in inserting and removing the mounting members of the refill stamping surface, and said sockets being symmetrically arranged in said base thereby providing for the selective arrangement of said refill stamping surface with either side thereof exposed through said recess.

WHITNEY K. MUNSON. 

